TechShow

Drum roll please. We’ve been counting readers’ votes to select the 15 legal technology startups that will get to participate in the third-annual Startup Alley at the American Bar Association’s TECHSHOW conference, which is Feb. 27 to March 2, 2019, in Chicago. Voting ended Friday night and now we are pleased to announce the winners.

These 15 startups will be provided space at a steeply discounted cost to exhibit their product or service in the special Startup Alley located within TECHSHOW’s exhibit hall. In addition, each startup will face off in an opening night pitch competition judged by an audience of TECHSHOW attendees. The winner of the pitch competition wins a package of marketing and advertising prizes, as described here.

Here are the winners in order of their vote tallies. The descriptions were provided by each company. The full ballot with more-detailed descriptions is here.

Lawble. Lawble is legal triage that works. Many access-to-justice experts have called for a legal triage that would assess clients’ needs and route them to the right resources efficiently, helping pro bono clinics and courts more effectively deal with the overwhelming number of legal clients in need. Lawble is that legal triage. We use natural language processing AI, algorithmic and OCR income verification, and multi-organizational distribution logic to provide access to justice for all.

dealWIP. dealWIP is a cloud-based software application offering a secure, multi-party workspace, and a suite of diligence collaboration tools, designed to increase transparency during the due diligence process, slash the total amount time spent on project management tasks, and significantly reduce the risk that a critical issue or document gets lost in the shuffle.

DocStyle LLC. Have you ever received a PDF file and needed to turn it into a properly formatted Word document, only to realize that you’re facing a lengthy manual process? DocStyle automates and professionally structures both Word and PDF files by interpreting formatting and applying proper Word styles in a single process. Intelligent paragraph recognition has been engineered for a highly accurate reproduction of the original content. Recapture those lost billable hours and expedite document drafting today!

Connective Counsel. Connective Counsel is a legal technology platform that eliminates friction between clients and law firms. In 2015, our founders went to the market to find a client portal that focused on client needs. We couldn’t find anything that fit our clients’ needs, so we built it ourselves. Our mission is to create the platform where law and innovation connect clients to their law firms and to build the platform you need to become the law firm of the future.

WarRoom. WarRoom helps lawyers better prepare for trial. Lawyers use WarRoom to highlight and tag deposition testimony – just like you would highlight a book on your Kindle. Key testimony is automatically organized by witness and issue into trial-ready summaries. WarRoom also allows lawyers to collaborate on testimony in real time without any additional software to install.

JurisBytes. Have you ever secretly wished your clients would stop nagging you over all the little details of their cases? Of course you have! JurisMS helps relieve that burden by providing a simplified and secure text-messaging platform that encourages communication and client care while making your life easier.

OurChildInfo.com. OCI is a permanent, non-deletable messaging system for parents to communicate after separation. Only the two parents. No ability to delete, manipulate, alter, or backdate any posts. Memorialize agreements, exchange documents, bills, school records and events, medical appointments, eliminate the he said/she said. No cost to judges, clerks, mediators, or attorneys. Permanent confirmed repository of communication between parents to preserve the record.

TrialLine. TrialLine is a cloud-based mediation, trial presentation and storytelling legal timeline tool for law firms and attorneys that want maximum insight into their cases. Create customized legal timelines that clearly and convincingly communicate the important details of your case, and display them in easy-to-understand, event-by-event detail. Attach supporting documents directly to each event on the timeline, and collaborate with anyone, anywhere there is an internet connection.

Kinnami Software Corporation. Kinnami is a cloud software company that tackles the problem of lack of trust in the digital world. Our blockhain-based platform safeguards data provenance by enhancing data verification and auditability. AmiStamp provides an easy way to create fingerprints of digital assets that cannot be falsified. It can be used to establish ownership (IP, copyrights, trade secrets) as well as to authenticate that data has not be altered in subsequent stages of collaboration (e.g. contracts, research).

Fixi Subscription Plans. Fixi Subscription Plans helps law firms offer and service subscription-based legal services to the clients they serve. Our software integrates with your existing website and allows customers to sign up online, access a customer portal to utilize the services you offer them and manages payments so that you can focus on growing your subscriber base. This allows you to create recurring revenue in turn facilitating exponential growth.

WyzeWaze. WyzeWaze streamlines data from contract to closing. Once the data is automatically extracted into our system, we can seamlessly push the data to the necessary documents needed to facilitate a real estate closing. Read emails, manage your calendar and events, run activity reports, populate templates, add contacts to your CRM, order title and task manage files and more all under one roof for pennies a day. Don’t ever leave WyzeWaze we have robust integrations. Work smarter, not harder!

HelpSelf Legal. We’re B2B document automation software for complex, logic-based workflows. Essentially, if your firm wants to create a TurboTax-like workflow for anything, you use our AI-assisted platform to do so. Lawyers use our platform to automate their own expertise or to increase efficiency and automate their internal work.

dtour.life. The first SaaS platform in family law that streamlines the collection, organization and analysis of case data with secure digital collaboration. Features include digital in-take form, real-time download of bank and credit card transactions for instant cash-flow, and documents attached to assets and debts. Lawyers and clients can manage the day-to-day workflow of a case from a dashboard; lawyers value the efficiency, collaboration with their clients and meeting the demand for technology solutions.

EffortlessLegal. EffortlessLegal brings the power of AI and machine learning to law firms. Our software automates various aspects of legal work to eliminate repetitive and time-consuming processes. This includes computer-assisted billing to increase realization rates, automated LEDES coding, crowdfunding, LEDES invoice format conversions, client intake process automation and budget automation. We integrate with many billing and practice management platforms eliminating the need to migrate data or disrupt your workflow.

Note to winners: You will be receiving emails from us with more details and event logistics.

Vote now. Help us pick the legal technology startups that will be selected for the third-annual Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW. Fifteen companies will be selected to face off in a pitch competition on TECHSHOW’s opening night and to exhibit in a special portion of the conference’s exhibition hall.

In October, we issued a call for entries. From all the entries we received, a panel of judges whittled the applications down to 25. Now your votes will select the final 15. The 15 startups with the most votes will get the opportunity to be featured at TECHSHOW, which will be held Feb. 27 to March 2, 2019, in Chicago.

Below are the contenders, listed in alphabetical order. Read their pitches, check out their websites, then vote. For those that have a demo video, I’ve included the link.

Deadline for voting is Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at 11:45 p.m. Eastern time. Winners will be announced on Dec. 31.

Elevator pitch: If the justice gap were a contagion, America would be in the midst of a pandemic. Most can’t afford to pay for the legal services they need. Tools like A2J Author and Neota Logic have failed because they’re closed systems. It is expensive to reinvent the wheel every time. Clerical is an expert systems Platform-as-a-Service that practices, promotes and incentivizes an open-source development model. By minimizing rework, organizations can develop expert systems at a fraction of the cost.

How we’re unique: Clerical’s open source development model makes it unique. The network effects of the platform are compounding, and they will allow organizations to have an expert system (Clerk) for every objective matter, shrinking the cost of their services and growing the number of clients served all while increasing margins. Following after RedHat, we provide free and low-cost services to the open-source community while generating revenue from enterprise support services and hosting proprietary Clerks.

Elevator pitch: Connective Counsel is a legal technology platform that eliminates friction between clients and law firms. In 2015, our founders went to the market to find a client portal that focused on client needs. We couldn’t find anything that fit our clients’ needs, so we built it ourselves. Our mission is to create the platform where law and innovation connect clients to their law firms and to build the platform you need to become the law firm of the future.

How we’re unique: We offer the world’s best law firm app. Built by lawyers for lawyers and based on real client feedback, we created an app that works out of the box with any practice management or document management system.

Pricing: We have five tiers based on firm size, number of clients using the app, and features selected. These tiers range from $5,000 to $35,000 annually (custom enterprise pricing also available if no tier matches firm requirements).

Elevator pitch: Contract.one is a contract negotiations software, built for clearer and faster communications between internal and external teams. It helps to get rid of time-killing and unproductive chains of emails, comments and redline mess, versions chaos. Unlike standard tools, our platform creates a single environment with all threads of discussion, built-in editing, internal approvals, and predictable versions control that works in the logic of negotiations (both for simple drafts and M&A deals).

How we’re unique: (1) The exact product missing on the market that companies need. Initial tests among various groups prove that. (2) Simple functionality — minimum functions but with top experience. Absolute attention to simple interface and friendly UX. Document and conversations on the same page. Internal and external comments are seen together but are distinctly separated. (3) Core team — lawyers with 10+ years of legal practice (Corporate, M&A), who implemented their experience into the software.

How we’re unique:Financial Times published a case study about how DataNovo partnered with Cisco in M&A to evaluate a target company’s patent portfolio, a process that normally take patent lawyers months, in days. As FT succinctly puts it, DataNovo’s platform “searches through an art archive to assess the validity of patents and find infringement. This helps in the assessment of the value of takeover targets and allows Cisco to move faster than rival bidders.”

Elevator pitch: dealWIP is a cloud-based software application offering a secure, multi-party workspace, and a suite of diligence collaboration tools, designed to increase transparency during the due diligence process, slash the total amount time spent on project management tasks, and significantly reduce the risk that a critical issue or document gets lost in the shuffle.

How we’re unique: The dealWIP Due Diligence Collaboration Platform is distinct from the rest of the $1.09 billion virtual data room (VDR) market in that it puts the Q&A conversation — the heart of every due diligence process — at its core. Whereas a traditional VDR operates as a clunky cloud-based destination for document disclosure, dealWIP brings together a Slack-like multi-organization Q&A module, a next-generation VDR, and easy-to-use project/task management tools in one sleek and intuitive user interface.

Pricing: Our pricing model is evolving in response to early feedback. Currently, we offer a 30-day free trial, after which we offer access to the platform under a hybrid pricing model that gives users the option to either (1) purchase a monthly or annual subscription for a particular number of users, each of whom would be able to initiate an unlimited number of projects during the subscription period or (2) purchase access to the platform for a particular number of users on a per-transaction basis.

Under the subscription structure, we will offer the initial version of the product for $75 per user, per month (six-month minimum). Under the per-project structure, we will offer the product for $1,500 per project for 0-5 seats; $2,500 per project for 6-10 seats; $4,000 per project for 11-20 seats; and $6,000 per project for 21+ seats. We will ultimately up-sell subscription customers as we build out additional application functionality.

Elevator pitch: Have you ever received a PDF file and needed to turn it into a properly formatted Word document, only to realize that you’re facing a lengthy manual process? DocStyle automates and professionally structures both Word and PDF files by interpreting formatting and applying proper Word styles in a single process. Intelligent paragraph recognition has been engineered for a highly accurate reproduction of the original content. Recapture those lost billable hours and expedite document drafting today!

How we’re unique: There are many PDF converters and several document formatting cleanup utilities. None of them automate and facilitate document restructuring. DocStyle is the only solution which will accurately interpret Word styles, build a table of contents or identify complex content. What really sets our product apart from the rest is that we apply the appropriate Word styles during the conversion process. This saves everyone involved a significant amount of time and produces a cleaner result.

Elevator pitch: The first SaaS platform in family law that streamlines the collection, organization and analysis of case data with secure digital collaboration. Features include digital in-take form, real-time download of bank and credit card transactions for instant cash-flow, and documents attached to assets and debts. Lawyers and clients can manage the day-to-day workflow of a case from a dashboard; lawyers value the efficiency, collaboration with their clients and meeting the demand for technology solutions.

How we’re unique: Designed for contested divorces, not DIY, agnostic as to professional and venue (mediation, collaborative, litigation), integrated technology that provides access to primary source financial data, document repository eliminates managing email attachments and external drop box folders, workflow provides a detail page for every asset and debt to inform a more complete and error-free settlement, MSA and for subsequent estate planning support. It empowers the client to be a better client.

Demo video (if any): We are currently implementing extensive updates to our UI/UX and creating a new video/tutorial that accurately represents the updated product.

Pricing: Monthly subscription fee: $50 per lawyer, includes complimentary accounts for staff so that cases may be shared internally. (Free 90-day trial.) Free for divorce legal aid and pro bono groups. $19 per month for clients.

Elevator pitch: EffortlessLegal brings the power of AI and machine learning to law firms. Our software automates various aspects of legal work to eliminate repetitive and time-consuming processes. This includes computer-assisted billing to increase realization rates, automated LEDES coding, crowdfunding, LEDES invoice format conversions, client intake process automation and budget automation. We integrate with many billing and practice management platforms eliminating the need to migrate data or disrupt your workflow.

How we’re unique: What makes EffortlessLegal unique is that we simply add the automation to eliminate or reduce repetitive and time-consuming processes. Our applications integrate with the most popular billing and practice management platforms with no need to migrate to a new platform or install anything. We give lawyers the ability to work effortlessly through AI and machine learning.

Pricing: Our products are all on a subscription model. We give users the option to select a 30-day plan or a recurring monthly plan to fit their specific needs and budget. In addition, all users are welcome to take advantage of our 30-day free trial to see the value in our products prior to making the purchasing decision.

Elevator pitch: Fixi Subscription Plans helps law firms offer and service subscription-based legal services to the clients they serve. Our software integrates with your existing website and allows customers to sign up online, access a customer portal to utilize the services you offer them and manages payments so that you can focus on growing your subscriber base. This allows you to create recurring revenue in turn facilitating exponential growth.

How we’re unique: Subscription-based legal services are quickly becoming the norm. Organizations like LegalZoom, Avvo and RocketLawyer have been offering subscription-based legal services for years and are scooping up market share. Before creating Fixi Subscription Plans, our team had created many of the technologies that these larger organizations utilize to manage subscriptions at scale. We now offer similar technology to law firms of all sizes with virtually no startup costs.

Elevator pitch: Habeas Corp. helps companies find the lawyers that clients love. Our lawyer search engine helps corporate clients compare lawyers by expertise, cost and client reviews. Our leaderboards give companies a snapshot of best lawyers for any need according to fellow clients. With Habeas Corp. as a system of record for attorneys, companies can hold lawyers accountable, reward the best, and give attorneys from firms large and small an equal playing field on which to compete.

How we’re unique: 1. We’re not a flat directory. We’re about user generated content from both lawyers and clients and generating “crowdsourced” recommendations for outside counsel. 2. We’re not a rating service. Every lawyer gets reviewed openly, whether the reviews are good or bad. 3. We’re not a marketplace. It’s not pay-to-play and we don’t take a cut of business. Any lawyer with corporate clients can be included.

Demo video (if any): Check out the beta on habeascorp.com.

Pricing: Just launched a beta of the free version of the site for testing purposes. We are now working with several legal departments of Fortune 500 companies to build out a paid white-labeled version of the site.

Outside funding: We are self-funded by revenue from our company’s first product: Laterally.com.

Elevator pitch: We’re B2B document automation software for complex, logic-based workflows. Essentially, if your firm wants to create a TurboTax-like workflow for anything, you use our AI-assisted platform to do so. Lawyers use our platform to automate their own expertise or to increase efficiency and automate their internal work.

How we’re unique: We channeled Facebook and Google when building our platform, so we’re friendly to technophobes and those who want things done with a click of a button. We’re a no-code solution for complex workflows, and we’re mobile and SMS-friendly.

Elevator pitch: Have you ever secretly wished your clients would stop nagging you over all the little details of their cases? Of course you have! JurisMS helps relieve that burden by providing a simplified and secure text-messaging platform that encourages communication and client care while making your life easier.

How we’re unique: JurisBytes focuses on the attorney-client relationship, not just law firm management. Before any product development is undertaken, we conduct research studies with real law firms and their clients to gauge the client’s satisfaction with the level and types of communication they receive from their attorneys and law firms. Client’s perceptions are their reality. JurisBytes not only recognizes this, but builds on it, developing technological innovations for the 21st century client and lawyer.

Elevator pitch: Kinnami is a cloud software company that tackles the problem of lack of trust in the digital world. Our blockhain-based platform safeguards data provenance by enhancing data verification and auditability. AmiStamp provides an easy way to create fingerprints of digital assets that cannot be falsified. It can be used to establish ownership (IP, copyrights, trade secrets) as well as to authenticate that data has not be altered in subsequent stages of collaboration (e.g. contracts, research).

How we’re unique: There is currently no truly reliable way to establish authenticity of data shared and stored using an IT system, i.e. there is no truly reliable way for businesses and individuals to securely collaborate. Kinnami aims to solve this problem. Our products provide a comprehensive solution for the legal market to protect of data and documents, as well as enabling greater collaboration globally. Kinnami has the technology to play a pivotal role in reversing the growing erosion of trust in data.

Elevator pitch: Lawble is legal triage that works. Many access-to-justice experts have called for a legal triage that would assess clients’ needs and route them to the right resources efficiently, helping pro bono clinics and courts more effectively deal with the overwhelming number of legal clients in need. Lawble is that legal triage. We use natural language processing AI, algorithmic and OCR income verification, and multi-organizational distribution logic to provide access to justice for all.

How we’re unique: Our company is unique from ground up. First, our product is unique. There are other online intake systems, however, none do it as well as Lawble, and none have the grand goal of being able to route clients to any clinic in the nation. Second, our founders are both law students. Bert and George developed this product while in their second year of law school at BYU Law, spinning it out of the LawX lab. Third, we are a social venture; our primary mission is to provide access to justice for all.

Elevator pitch: We are a marketplace that connects freelance attorneys with law firms, in-house legal counsel, and legal staffing agencies for short-term projects on an on-demand basis.

How we’re unique: We are the only online platform that connects staffing agencies, in-house counsel, and law firms for the best talent for each project.

Demo video (if any): None.

Pricing: We charge a fee based on the total project size that is completed using our platform; we also charge a monthly subscription for legal staffing agencies and other customers to access our database of attorneys to source and staff open positions.

Elevator pitch: OCI is a permanent, non-deletable messaging system for parents to communicate after separation. Only the two parents. No ability to delete, manipulate, alter, or backdate any posts. Memorialize agreements, exchange documents, bills, school records and events, medical appointments, eliminate the he said/she said. No cost to judges, clerks, mediators, or attorneys. Permanent confirmed repository of communication between parents to preserve the record.

How we’re unique: Payment system: Only the first parent pays, the second gets a free account. Complete log file with merged chronological posts, documents and photos. Developed by practicing family law attorney. By far the most inexpensive and efficient of the handful of sites attempting to do the same thing.

Demo video (if any): None.

Pricing: $7.50 per month for the first parent. Second parent is free. This pay-for-both structure eliminates financial concerns or avoidance from the second (often reluctant) parent.

Elevator pitch: Designed and used by a small legal team, Resolver’s Legal Intake Software is a simple, easy-to-use, configurable platform to: (a) centrally, transparently and automatically manage the workflow associated with legal requests; and (b) provide the foundational data to support a modern, metrics-driven legal department. Users of the tool can standardize the processing of legal requests and generate simple dashboards that provide, among other things, status updates on matters in real time.

How we’re unique: It is an easy-to-use tool (even for lawyers!) that can be configured to match any small department’s workflow. Resolver’s Legal Intake Software is configured from the perspective of a general counsel and a legal operations professional managing and operating a small legal department. Drawing from our roots in risk management, we can also, among other things, incorporate enterprise-wide risk scores to help “risk rate” contracts to assist in the triage of legal requests.

Demo video (if any): None.

Pricing: Annual subscription: $10,000 for the platform; $1,500 for a “full user” (with each full user bundled with 10 light users). A four-person legal department with two lawyers, a secretary/assistant and a paralegal would be able to service 40 “requestors” of legal services (“light users”) for an annual subscription of $16,000.

Outside funding: We are business unit within a larger $30mm software company.

Elevator pitch: We automate the process of pre-screening contracts. We run reviews for lawyers without them having to read the contract. The software works for a wide range of contracts. It is also extensible. We have a contract description framework that allows our clients to collaborate and benefit from the ever-growing range of contract types and capabilities without doing the work themselves. On average we can review contracts more accurately than humans, at six-times faster and less than one-third of the cost.

How we’re unique: Our uniqueness lies in our sophisticated review capabilities allied to the collaboration tools designed to help all customers drive greater value from the product much faster and in more areas.

Elevator pitch: TrialLine is a cloud-based mediation, trial presentation and storytelling legal timeline tool for law firms and attorneys that want maximum insight into their cases. Create customized legal timelines that clearly and convincingly communicate the important details of your case, and display them in easy-to-understand, event-by-event detail. Attach supporting documents directly to each event on the timeline, and collaborate with anyone, anywhere there is an internet connection.

How we’re unique: TrialLine is cloud-based and fully customizable. Our immersive timeline software has many features made specifically for the needs of attorneys, such as medical record exports, printing options for use in demonstratives, the ability to control via tablet in trial, slide presentation options, etc.

Elevator pitch: Trustbot is pioneering “Non-Disclosure-as-a-Service,” working inside your email, calendar and team messaging apps to make NDAs easier and ensure compliance.

How we’re unique: Unlike e-signing services, Trustbot operates actively in existing workflows to prompt when an NDA may be needed, and allows teams to share and customize forms, route approvals and e-sign with ease, all without leaving the apps they already use. Trustbot logs who has access to confidential information and ensures its return or deletion when discussions conclude.

Elevator pitch: WarRoom helps lawyers better prepare for trial. Lawyers use WarRoom to highlight and tag deposition testimony – just like you would highlight a book on your Kindle. Key testimony is automatically organized by witness and issue into trial-ready summaries. WarRoom also allows lawyers to collaborate on testimony in real time without any additional software to install.

How we’re unique: WarRoom is the first web-based deposition review software. Many lawyers are still reading paper transcripts and manually creating deposition summaries. This makes it difficult and time consuming to prepare for trial – especially when trying to collaborate between multiple firms. WarRoom gives lawyers the tools to be more prepared for trial in a lot less time.

Elevator pitch: Woodpecker is a document automation platform that empowers modern law firms to automate and standardize their frequently used legal documents. Woodpecker enables attorneys to continue using Word, avoid migrating to a new platform, and spend a fraction of the cost of enterprise document management platforms. Our mission is to provide a cutting-edge software product to an underserved segment of the legal market, at an affordable price, with no implementation or training overhead.

How we’re unique: Woodpecker brings the functionality of enterprise-level document automation platforms to an underserved segment of the legal market (solo & small firms) by empowering users to standardize and automate their documents from the comfort of MS Word. Woodpecker’s cross-platform distribution model integrates seamlessly with Office 365, and allows firms to provide Woodpecker to their entire organization with the click of a button and with little necessary training or guidance.

Elevator pitch: WyzeWaze streamlines data from contract to closing. Once the data is automatically extracted into our system, we can seamlessly push the data to the necessary documents needed to facilitate a real estate closing. Read emails, manage your calendar and events, run activity reports, populate templates, add contacts to your CRM, order title and task manage files and more all under one roof for pennies a day. Don’t ever leave WyzeWaze we have robust integrations. Work smarter, not harder!

How we’re unique: WyzeWaze will save the attorney time by streamlining data from a real estate contract into our application. This eliminates typing, fat fingers and transposing errors. The data can then be parsed into their conveyance documents, additional ancillary services’/integrations as well as generating tile orders. WyzeWaze integrates with Outlook and Gmail and the user can view and create emails within the platform as well as manage their contingencies, closings and other deadlines on their calendar.

Demo video (if any): Demo upon request.

Pricing: We offer a free “basic/lite” version as well as monthly subscriptions.

How we’re unique: We are the only app building platform for lawyers that integrates directly with the attorney’s practice management platform such as Clio or Practice Panther. We were founded by an attorney to solve the problem of sharing and receiving updates and information on a client’s mobile device. Until Your Firm App, the mobile experience for clients was cumbersome and not optimized. Your Firm App addresses this issue with its unique software integration.

Calling all legal technology startups. Here is your chance to compete to be featured as a presenter and exhibitor in the third-annual Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW, the American Bar Association’s annual legal technology conference, taking place in Chicago Feb. 27 to March 2, 2019.

Today, we are officially announcing the call for entries for the third Startup Alley, offering startups a shot at being one of 15 companies selected to receive space in a special portion of TECHSHOW’s exhibition hall and to participate in an opening night pitch competition, judged by TECHSHOW attendees, to pick the most innovative startup idea.

Again this year, I will be coordinating the competition, in collaboration with the TECHSHOW board. Read on for full details.

How Will the Startups Be Selected?

The competition starts today. Startups interested in participating should complete this application form. Applications must be received by Nov. 23, 2018.

From all applications received, a panel of five judges will select 25 finalists. This year’s judges are:

John Simek, TECHSHOW 2019 co-chair.

Lincoln Mead, TECHSHOW 2019 co-chair.

Heidi Alexander, TECHSHOW 2019 co-vice-chair.

Catherine Sanders Reach, TECHSHOW 2019 co-vice-chair.

On Dec. 17, brief descriptions of each of the 25 will be posted on Above the Law and LawSites and readers will be invited to vote for their favorites. The 15 startups with the most votes will be selected for TECHSHOW. Winners will be announced on Dec. 31.

What Are the Criteria for Applying?

The competition is limited to startups that meet the following criteria:

Your product or service is targeted to lawyers or legal professionals, not to consumers.

Your company has never before exhibited at a national legal technology conference.

Your company has achieved some demonstrable traction, either in users or financing.

You were not one of the companies that presented at TECHSHOW in the 2017 or 2018 Startup Alley.

In addition, your company should be innovative, meaning that it addresses a need not met by other products or services currently on the market or that it does so in a way not currently done by others.

What Happens If I Am Selected?

The winning startups will be provided space at a discounted cost to exhibit their product or service in a special Startup Alley located within TECHSHOW’s exhibit hall.

Each startup will be provided space in a uniform, pre-installed booth. You will not need (or be allowed) to bring a booth of your own.

Each startup will be responsible for the booth fee of $1,500. This is a significant reduction off the standard booth cost. You are welcome to seek sponsors to underwrite all or part of this cost.

You will be responsible for your own travel and hotel expenses to Chicago.

In addition to exhibit space, each startup will face off in an opening night pitch competition. Each startup will have 2.5 minutes to present its pitch, either live or using recorded video, in front of an audience of TECHSHOW attendees. At the conclusion of the pitches, attendees will vote to select the most innovative company as the winner.

What Do I Get Out of This?

ABA TECHSHOW is one of the world’s pre-eminent legal technology conferences. Your company will gain exposure to a diverse audience of legal professionals, including practitioners, academics, consultants and others. In addition, TECHSHOW’s audience includes legal journalists, bloggers and industry analysts.

In short, your company will get precious time in the spotlight. Along with that will come invaluable opportunities for feedback about your product or service from TECHSHOW attendees, the competition’s judges and your peers at other startups.

In addition, the winner of the opening night pitch competition will receive:

We’ve been running a competition over at Above the Law to select 15 legal technology startups to participate in the second-annual Startup Alley at the American Bar Association’s Techshow conference March 7-10, 2018. With more than 6,000 votes casts, we’ve now announced the winners.

The 15 winning companies get to be highlighted as exhibitors in a special “Startup Alley” portion of the Techshow exhibition hall. They will also participate in a pitch competition on the conference’s opening night, where attendees will vote live for their favorite.

I sometimes hear people complain that they’ve never been invited to speak at ABA Techshow. But when I ask them, “Did you apply?”, they just shake their heads.

For those of you interested in joining the Techshow speaker roster, here is your chance. Techshow has put out a call for speaker proposals.

We are on the hunt for relevant, exciting topics to add to the agenda, so if you are interested in being a part of this amazing show, please fill out the form below. If you have more than one idea, please fill this out as many times as you want!

So go ahead and submit your idea. But note: The deadline for proposals is midnight Central time on Wednesday, July 26.

By the way, the date of Techshow this year is March 7-10, 2018. As always, the location is Chicago, but the venue is new — the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Hope to see you there.

A series of short posts rounding up product announcements from last week’s ABA Techshow.

Worldox, the document and email management platform, announced an add-in for Office 365, enabling Worldox customers with Office 365 subscriptions to access Worldox documents from any browser and to save new Office 365 documents directly into Worldox even when away from the office.

The add-in merges the functionality of OneDrive and Worldox, according to the announcement. While in the office, files can be checked out into OneDrive for access and editing while offline and out of office. Worldox documents can be searched and accessed directly from Word, Excel and PowerPoint Online. The add-in also allows users to access their Worldox favorites, bookmarks and workspaces.

The new CASEpush feature allows law firms to send and receive cases between CASEpeer accounts with all of the CASEpeer data. This could be used, for example when referring a client to an outside attorney for litigation or when working with another firm on an out-of-state deposition.

Files sent with CASEpush can be reviewed and imported in full, including case notes, documents, photos, health liens, negotiations and more.

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